1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved system for facilitating the dose record keeping and dispensing of medication, and more particularly to a system for aiding people in the correct administration of medication that is taken over an extended period of time.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is well recognized that it is essential to assist people in establishing a medication regime, and to enable people to easily keep track of when and if medication has been taken. Numerous patents have proposed electronic reminder systems. One failing of the electronic systems is the high cost of the electronics. Another failing is their inability to note whether medication has been taken. Furthermore, they can be complicated in design and therefore difficult to operate. The emphasis of the electronic system is typically as a reminder mechanism, and thus no record is maintained of whether the medication was actually taken. The problem may be more severe in the case of the elderly and infirmed, but exists even in the case of those who are mentally alert. It is essential that the drug regimen be followed accurately and in a timely manner. Errors and misuse can undermine the effectiveness of medication and can be dangerous to the person using the medication.
The problem is exacerbated when a person is using multiple medications during the same time period. Confusion can readily arise as to which medication was last taken, particularly, in those instances where the regimens differ for two or more of the medications. The need to keep track of a variety of different medication regimens has been well recognized. U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,702 proposes a system that includes a chart. The chart includes such information as the names of the medicines to be taken by a patient and coded symbols are marked on the chart. Times of the day are marked, printed, or otherwise placed on the chart. The coded symbols have distinctive varying shapes, such as circles, squares, triangles and the like. Additionally, various colors can be used to assist in the distinguishing between various medications.
The '702 patent also suggests the use of a laminated sheet, as for example a film plastic, so the marks can be easily erased. In one embodiment, a clear plastic surface is used so the sheet underlying the clear plastic surface would be visible and the coded symbols, horizontal rows, and vertical columns are visible. The chart is suggested as possibly being a ferrous material or a magnetic material so that the magnetic marking elements may be attached to the chart surface. In another embodiment, an adhesive can be provided so that the chart can be mounted on any surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,767 is illustrative of another chart system for use in assisting a patient in tracking a medication regimen.
A novel system for tracking medication use has been previously described by Kozlowski in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/583,125. This application is incorporated by reference herein as though recited in its entirety. This system uses an overlay which can be added to the prescription label or printed separately. The overlay contains check boxes for the user to fill in with a mark to designate taking a pill over a set time period.
Blister style packaging is also well known in the art and blister style packaging for medications is likewise well known in the art. The method and apparatus for forming blister style display packages has been disclosed in a variety of patents and other publications. It is known to seal articles in pockets that are formed and sealed in plastic windows of paperboard blanks. These blanks have one or more openings that are covered, on one surface, by a heat-deformable and heat-sealable plastic sheet. The pockets are formed by heating the plastic material extending across the windows and deforming this plastic material to form a blister. After the article is placed in the blister, the blister is closed, for example by folding the blank about a fold line and then heat-sealing the plastic material. As the plastic sheet or film which is used is generally transparent, the article is provided in a decorative package in which it is sealed but nevertheless is fully visible. The teachings are best described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,358 to Heffernan et al among others.